1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in video prosthesis apparatus and more particularly, to a video prosthesis apparatus and a method of use therefore which is capable of being inserted in the optical pathway to the brain of an individual and which utilizes video signals of an image for transmission through the optical nerves to the brain.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Recent advances in medical sciences, and particularly in opthomologic sciences, has enabled physicians to correct many eye deficiencies including cataracts and other opaqueness in the eye. However, there are many causes of blindness which are not associated with the optic nerves, but rather with the eye itself. Very often, these causes of blindness involves an obstruction or growth in the optical pathway in the eye. Furthermore, cataracts and complications arising from treatment of cataracts have also interfered with the visual process.
Many of the diseases which affect vision typically affect the eye itself but leave the optical pathway and particularly the optical nerves in-tact. Thus, if some means were provided for using a prosthesis in place of an eye for transmitting images to the brain, at least some of the visual process could be restored. It is recognized that the optical nerves have approximately one million nerve fibers. However, in actual practice, there are only approximately 50 optical nerves. While the optical fibers are clearly important in transmitting visual images, each nerve essentially carries a single message of a visual image and that visual image composite is re-generated in the brain of an individual at the cortex. Thus, while many in the field of optical vision have thought that the use of a prosthesis would have little or no benefit, the contrary is found in that the use of present day video technology enables the generation of electrical signals representing a visual image much in the same manner as an electrical signal is generated for transmission to the brain in response to an image.
The fact that there are only about fifty optical nerves for transmission of signals representing an image to the cortex of the brain suggests that there is a reasonable likelihood of development of a prosthesis which could be used in place of a diseased or damaged eye.
There have been some attempts to develop visual and/or auditory prosthesis devices. Exemplary of these attempts are U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,596 to Wasserman. This patent provides a method for utilizing a prosthesis which uses sensory codes for simulating a natural sensory code to recognize and identify a signal on an associated receptor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,933 to Michelson discloses a visual prosthesis device for overcoming the problems of retinal malfunction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,933 to Michelson also teaches of the use of a plurality of electrodes which are adapted to be inserted in the posterior chamber of the eye. The electrodes are operatively connected to a neuron array at the surface of the retina.
Heretofore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,193 to Collins discloses a tactile image projection system which can be used with a blind individual and British Patent No. 2,016,276 discloses a system which uses a prosthesis for stimulating the brain.